Abstract

This article is a conversation with the initial editors of a new periodical devoted to Gestalt therapy. They all reside in Australia and New Zealand and represent the ongoing and evolving vibrancy of the professional organization known as GANZ (Gestalt Australia and New Zealand).

Gstalt-L, An email discussion group devoted to Gestalt therapy and the community of its practitioners (www.g-gej.org/gstalt-l). Gstalt-J, An email discussion group devoted to research on Gestalt therapy, theory and practice (www.g-gej.org/gstalt-j). Supported by the Gestalt Research Consortium (GRC) (www.g-gej.org/grc). Gestalt Bookmarks, a place to begin researching the field of contemporary Gestalt therapy on the world wide web (www.g-gej.org/gestaltbookmarks).

Phil: Anne, recently you wrote to the Gstalt-L list and provided the following account:

Last night 20 of our Gestalt community gathered to celebrate the publication of the first issue of the Gestalt Journal of Australia and New Zealand that GANZ has established.

Along with backup from Leanne O'Shea as co-editor and Alan Meara I have been the inaugural editor. That has involved being both editing and includes the gathering of everything together for the first time.

Members of the Gestalt community in Australia and New Zealand are in this together, two co-editors, one each side of the Tasman Sea, and an Editorial Board with 3 Australians and 2 New Zealanders, as well, writers in both countries.

If you go to the web site <www.ganz.org.au> and click on e-mail you will see the cover and before long more detailed information.

Here's the contents of this issue, No 1,Volume 1 and publication will be twice a year, May and November.

If you're interested in information on becoming a subscriber do so by
emailing < contact@ganz.org.au >

A single issue is $30 (Aus) + $10 (Aus) postage overseas

An annual subscription is $55.00 (Aus)

There is also a Bulk Order (6+) $20 (Aus) per issue with p&p to be advised.

Advertising information is also available for conferences, books, writers groups and other journals. More information on email to the above address.

I have been excited and feel delighted that the establishment of this is now solid fact. I've held the Journal, seen it, smelt it, read bits out loud to hear them, chewed over them and I am satisfied with the completed gestalt.

I recommend this new Journal to all of you.

Now, I'd like to ask the three of you about this new journal and your investment in it: Why another journal about Gestalt therapy?

Anne:

I see the nature of Gestalt in this part of the world as developing through a number of individuals who came in from the USA and Europe, some stayed and practiced here, and others came and went and the locals did the building of the training programmes - a very mixed bag of people.

Professionally as GANZ gathered Australian and New Zealand Gestalt communities together and became substantial providing - ethical and practice standards, training criteria, categories of membership, a newsletter, conferences and exchange of trainer - the next development needed to be a Journal that reflected and revealed Gestalt through the words, research, creativity of the people of this Gestalt community. There is a strong interest in writing and support for this project. I believe we have plenty to offer the wider Gestalt community. As Alan pointed out in the Editorial 'While writing has not historically seemed a large part of the Gestalt culture, it is more true to say that publication has been the greater lack.'

Leanne:

Why another journal about Gestalt therapy?

Well why not! A first and almost reflex response, but then I think about all the work, all the time and commitment required to actually bring the first and then each subsequent volume to fruition. Clearly it's a question that requires a more considered response.

My personal involvement began some years ago when I was invited to be a part of a small group given the task of exploring this possibility. Whilst there were a number of already impressive journals available, it seemed to me there was nothing that captured what seemed to be the unique voice of the Australian Gestalt community, particularly as represented by GANZ (Gestalt Australia and New Zealand). In some ways the creation of a journal seemed like a natural next step in our growth and development as an organization. Something else that contributed to my interest was my sense that although there exists a great wealth of experience amongst Australian and New Zealand practitioners and trainers, their voices have been relatively silent in the wider Gestalt literature. I wanted to create something that had as it's expressed intention a commitment to nurture and foster these voices, both those who have been part of this community for some time, and also those newly emerging.

What I have written is a reflection of the more personal passions and interests that have informed my involvement in the journal. The journal itself is very much the product of the interests and energy of a much larger group of people. But it is both my belief and hope that the desire to give voice to our community is a vision shared by all.

Alan:

Coming into this conversation a little late, I'll pick up on what's gone before. There were two main issues, as I see it, for creating this new Journal. One was to encourage the local community (Australia and New Zealand) to develop a capacity to write about their experiences in gestalt at theoretical and application levels. The other was to offer a peer reviewed Journal as part of GANZ services to members. GANZ is a professional association, with four levels of membership, and full members must have completed an accredited training programme. Australia, at least, is a big place geographically, and this was one way of building community.

After considering various ownership models, it was decided that GANZ would own and publish the Journal, and appoint editors who would look after the content. The GANZ council have been involved for some time in the setting of policy and the look of the cover etc. Those geese images got a fair working over!

Returning to the writing issue, while I'd expect contributions would continue to be sent to the overseas journals, we really wanted to provide an avenue for local people to 'have a go' as we say here. Most training courses require a large project at the end of the training process, so there is wealth of ground being built. Encouragement is also coming from people's participation in GANZ conferences, where we find out who's being doing what.

In the bigger picture, I see that the journal is also about building the profile of gestalt here, within an emerging professionalisation of counseling and psychotherapy, countering misconceptions about gestalt (Gloria lives!) and demonstrating efficacy across a broad range of issues.

Anne:

My involvement stems back to the process when, about a couple or three years ago I was invited, to work with Michael Reed and Leanne O'Shea in the processes that led up GANZ deciding to publish independently. The establishment of a Journal seems a very natural evolution within such an organisation, and I believe the maturity was there for this to happen. This allows a professional aspect of the work that is being done to be shared both within our two countries and internationally.

I offered to do the work, knowing that I had the time, we had enough articles offered to make a beginning and, as well I knew how to get the whole established as I've been involved before in both editorial work and the necessary publishing aspects

One of my greatest delights was the support that the GANZ Council provided, with Alan and Leanne being a consultative team with me. Leanne as the Australian inaugural Co-editor and Alan as the President. I didn't keep a count of the emails, or phone calls, such patience and such readiness to deal with detail until we arrived at something that fitted into the new picture. Thank you is inadequate for all that went on. The first issue is much more than straight editorial work - the establishment of an Editorial Board and the readers for peer-reviewing articles, setting parameters for contributors, advertising and the design and layout of the Journal all had to be drawn together and within a defined time frame.

As a Gestalt psychotherapist, how I am willing to share my excitements and difficulties, the discoveries, the deepening of the work that I do may be shared in supervision, or in talking with colleagues when we meet. To write about the work I do takes me to another level of sharing and making contact differently, this is another level of professional accountability and a willingness to evolve as a human being.

I believe that there is a plethora of work that is written, particularly while in training and a great deal of this could be considered for publication as it stands, or with editorial assistance become interesting reading for a wide range of people who are interest in Gestalt. Primarily this Journal is for publishing the writing from Australia and New Zealand and there is considerable excitement from within our communities to support this Journal.